Lego Mayflower Makes a Creative Alternative to Drawing

Thanksgiving activities abound at the Stephanie's Mommy Brain house this month. Some are on our Thanksgiving unit study list. Some are not.

Draw the Mayflower is on the kids' activities list.

Build a Lego Mayflower is not. (But it should be!)

What creative and outside-the-box Thanksgiving activities are you doing?

Be sure to like Stephanie's Mommy Brain on Facebook where I'm sharing more Thanksgiving tips and links throughout November.

* More Thanksgiving Kids Activities and Books Posts 

Mayflower Kid's Activities :: Day 2 Thanksgiving Plan

"Whatever did not fit in the chest had to be left behind." 

On day 2 of our Thanksgiving kid's activities plan we focused on the Mayflower voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. As we continued reading If You Sailed on The Mayflower in 1620 by Ann McGovern, we discussed travel conditions on board the ship.

The Mayflower II in Plymouth, Massachusetts

We imagined traveling for weeks in a space about the size of our home but crammed with over 100 people and all their belongings. How crowded, cold, wet, and bored the Pilgrim children must have been!

We learned that the cargo ship Mayflower was never meant to carry passengers so the Pilgrims built platforms for beds and storage.

Unfortunately, some people had to sleep on the floor. Not a fun place to be when water came pouring down from the deck above during a storm!

After reading about and discussing the Pilgrim's Mayflower journey we pulled out our kids' Thanksgiving journals. First we drew a picture of the Mayflower using Draw. Write. Now Book 3 for inspiration.

Then finished the writing prompt: If I sailed to a New World I would take with me... My children realized their toys weren't really necessary if taking them meant you had no clothes to wear or tools to build a house. But they also felt one chest just wasn't enough luggage!

As we study the history of Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims I am developing a whole new level of respect for the sacrifices they made. And we are all a little more thankful for how easy our lifestyle is!

How would you complete our writing prompt: If I sailed to a New World I would take with me...?

Be sure to like Stephanie's Mommy Brain on Facebook where I'm sharing more Thanksgiving tips and links throughout November.

* More Thanksgiving Kids Activities and Books Posts

Mega Bloks, Thomas and Cub Scouts

TOOT! TOOT!

Thomas the Tank Engine rolled into our Cub Scouts den meeting today. He came as a Mega Bloks set and brought along Diesel for the fun.

I was a little nervous that my Bear scouts would think Thomas and MegaBloks were beneath them now that they've grown to the ripe old ages of 8 and 9. I knew the 6 year old Tiger scouts would love the sets; after all, the Tiger scout in my house regularly plays with Thomas and Mega Bloks.

We started our party den meeting by pairing up each Bear scout with a Tiger scout. Then I handed each pair either a Thomas Mega Blok set or a Diesel Mega Blok set. They quickly went to work building their models and driving their trains down the tracks. The noise level of 14 boys ages 6-9 having fun was deafening!

One of my favorite things about Cub Scouts is their saying "fun with purpose." As far as my Bear scouts knew they were just having fun. In reality, creativity, leadership and building skills developed a little more today.

So my worry about the Bears enjoying Thomas? Totally a waste of time! Now I have a new worry. What am I going to plan for our next meeting that can be as fun as a Thomas or Diesel Mega Bloks kit?!

How do you make learning fun for your kids?

Be sure to like Stephanie's Mommy Brain on Facebook where I regularly share tips and links for making learning fun.

Disclosure: To facilitate my participation in a Mommy Parties campaign sponsored by Mega Blok I received 5 Mega Blok Thomas at the Races sets and 5 Mega Blok Diesel sets to give to the children at my party. I also received a Thomas the Tank Engine DVD and a Day at the Dieselworks set to keep. The opinions expressed are mine and were not influenced my Mega Bloks or Mommy Parties.